You might have better luck on the Bonsai site with this topic. It is there that growers are more concerned with keeping the trunks thick and the leaves small. I have read in bonsai books that there is a pinching method that you use on jade to keep the leaves smaller. I can't remember it exactly and my books are not with me. I will get them and write more later.

Norma is right, leaves will always be a certain size because of the genetic makeup of the plant if left to it's own devices. But you can alter the growth pattern and keep leaves smaller. But I don't think it's of much value personally now. I agree with Norma, you want small leaves, buy plants that genetically have small leaves.

It used to be a big thing with me a few years ago. I would completely defoliate a standard ovata plant every year in July. The sun intensity from the time of year plus the shorter growing season would keep leaves about 1/2 normal size. Not allowing leaves to stay on a plant for a number of years keeps them small. If you look closely at your plant, the biggest leaves are the ones growing directly on the trunk or the ones that have been on the plant the longest. If the oldest leaf on the plant is 6 - 8 months old, it doesn't have time to bulk up and get big.

That's all good and wonderful to know, but I don't grow ovata to be small, so small leaves are not needed.

randy

Randy, I have a species that is naturally small. I use it for bonsai or dish gardens. This form is very difficult to find in Calif. it is used for Christmas wreaths and dishgardens. The smaller the better for me. Don't pump them up, and they will be smaller. Norma

I found the info from the Bonsai book. I don't thing the method will work for jade. You are supposed to trim off leaves just below the leaf on the little stem, but jade leaves grow right off the trunk. I recommend getting portaluca afra. Its leaves are small already. They have a picture of one in the same book, and it looks beautiful as Bonsai with a very thick trunk. Just a thought.

Hello, I'm a newbie when it comes to growing plants and it's a long story as to how I accidently got involved with Jades. The short story is my friend had a big headed Jade plant with an 18" stem being held up by paint sticks and bread bag ties. It was in the front window (big window lots of sun) of our Data Recovery Shop. I came in one morning to see that the stem had snapped because the paint sticks rotted out. At that point my emotions kicked in to try and save it. That's the long and short of it.
Now the Jade I save had leaves the size of between a Nickel and a Quarter. I clipped it down as best I could and got 8 two to four leaf clipping. I learned quite a bit in a short time to save the palnt and get theys clipping in pots. Albeit, I didn't do it right and that started the learning curve. Suffice it to say. I've learned a great deal about these plants in the 2 short months this challange presented itself. As a matter of fact I found this Forum via a Google search to find out the average leaf size for a Jade. I was surprised to see the reply to allenrm by dufflebag2002. I do believe genetics does have a lot to do with the way living things develop but,I also believe that plants can be manipulated without getting into the science of genetics. An anology to that statement is, these clipping where looking like the Parent Jade with Quarter (25¢)size leaves. Well...I wanted biger leaves so...even though I new nothing of pruning. I applied resonable deduction and cut a knotch with a razor blade right at the point where the bottom leaves meet the stem. I've only done this to 2 of the clippings and I kept doing it the minute I saw a shoot developing and I've done it all summer long. I know have 2 of those clipping with leaves 4.5" from tip to stem long. The other clipping have larger than average leaves but I employeed another strategy that I won't get into here. I plane to develop at least 2 of the clippings in mini trees with leaves of 6" inches long by 3" inches wide. The first set of leaves are actually rest on the Pots rim with the soil being 1 inche below the rim. These are 5 inch pots. I guess that'll do it for now. I just thought I'd throw my 2 cents in cause I've never been a member of a forum.

Sun, minimal fertilizer, wind and minimal water will favor more compact growth, but there are limits as stated by others.

x

Okay I misunderstood the question, you want to keep the head of the plant small and neat. Now that is a different question. You were speaking apples and I was speaking oranges. Just cut and shape the plant head any way you want to. Now is the time of the year to do this. I have seen in San Francisco 'Jade' bonsai going for $400 - $500
I almost passed out, they were beautifully done. These are winter growers and appreciate some cool weather, it brings out their color. Norma